Crooked teeth – what causes them & how you can straighten them

Have your crooked teeth gone from “makes me unique” to “makes me self-conscious?” If so, you’re not alone. Crooked, misaligned teeth are common in both children and adult.¹ Just because they are common doesn’t mean you have to live with them. Today, there are many options available for aligning crooked teeth and helping you get the smile you’ve always wanted.

Learning why teeth become crooked and what can be done to straighten them will help you and your orthodontist work together to give you a smile you can be proud of.

What causes crooked teeth?

Sometimes we’re “born” with crooked teeth, sometimes teeth become crooked over time, and sometimes our teeth become crooked because of things we do or that happen to us.

Genetics

Some of the traits we inherit from our parents can make us more susceptible to crooked teeth. This is particularly true with inherited traits related to jaw size.

Jaw size

As humans have evolved, our jaws have gotten smaller. This has led some people to suspect that our new, smaller jaws can be more prone to crowded teeth, crooked teeth, and misaligned teeth.¹

Jaw alignment

If your upper and lower jaw are out of alignment, this can contribute to crooked teeth and other misalignments to appear.¹

Baby teeth

Spacing or crowding issues related to your baby teeth can affect whether or not your permanent teeth will be crooked when they come in.

Bad habits

Whether it’s something you’re doing now or something you did as a young child, bad habits can cause your teeth to become crooked. These habits include activities like thumb sucking,² tongue thrusting,³ and mouth breathing.⁴

The problem with habits like thumb sucking (or pacifier sucking) is that it can create repetitive, sustained pressure on the teeth and mouth.² Over time, this can lead to teeth and the jaw to move out of alignment.

Poor oral hygiene habits can also cause crooked teeth. Plaque can build up when you don’t brush and floss regularly. Over time, this plaque build-up can lead to gingivitis and ultimately gum disease. Gum disease can cause your teeth to move away from one another or change how your teeth fit together.⁵

Trauma or injury

Sometimes teeth become crooked because of things that happen to us. This is particularly true with respect to injuries that impact your teeth.

When you feel self-conscious about your teeth because they don’t line up correctly, it can affect your self-esteem, your mental health, and even your physical health

Self-esteem

Crooked teeth can affect how we see ourselves and the way we interact with others. Crooked teeth can be a source of embarrassment or self-consciousness.⁶

Physical health

Crooked teeth can take a toll on our physical well-being, as well as our mental well-being. Crooked teeth are harder to clean effectively, making health issues such as tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health issues more likely.⁷ The health implications aren’t just limited to your mouth. Left untreated, conditions like periodontal disease have been linked to heart disease and increased risk of heart attack.⁸

Injury risk

Crooked teeth are more likely to be damaged due to injury.⁹ The good news is, it’s never too late to align healthy teeth.¹⁰

See a sneak peek of what your new smile might look like

Invisalign SmileView™ can give you a glimpse at what your new, straighter smile might look like. Visit the Invisalign SmileView page or download the My Invisalign™ app to your smartphone to get started.

Do crooked teeth get worse with age?

Our teeth can shift naturally over time, which if severe enough can affect our oral health by making it harder to clean between teeth. Shifting teeth can also change how we feel about our smile.¹⁰ With years of misaligned teeth, there’s also more time for bacteria to build up in those hard-to-reach places, making you more susceptible to gum disease or other serious dental issues.¹⁰

Fixing crooked teeth

Talk to your dentist or orthodontist if you’ve made the decision to straighten your smile and fix your crooked teeth. They can review your current situation and recommend a treatment plan that works for you and fits your lifestyle. Depending on your current situation, they may recommend braces, clear aligners, or surgery.

Braces

Braces use wires and metal brackets to move your teeth into place. The brackets are attached to your teeth with a special bonding material. These brackets are then connected to one another with the wire. The wires apply continuous pressure to reposition teeth and address crooked teeth.

In some cases, your orthodontist might recommend “non-traditional’ braces, like ceramic or lingual braces, to straighten crooked teeth.¹ Ceramic braces have ceramic brackets instead of metal ones. This makes them more likely to look like regular teeth and less likely to stand out.¹

Lingual braces attach to the back sides of your teeth. They can treat crooked teeth similarly to metal braces but are much harder to see.¹ They can also cost significantly more than traditional metal braces.¹¹

Clear aligners

Clear aligners, like Invisalign^® aligners, work to fix crooked teeth by applying gentle pressure to your teeth. In comparison to metal brackets and wires, clear aligners use a series of clear removable plastic aligners that are customized to fit to your mouth. Every so often you’ll swap out your current aligner for a new one, and your teeth become a little straighter.

Clear aligners are virtually invisible

Chances are, no one will know you’re wearing aligners unless you tell them. They are made from a special material that makes them virtually invisible.

Invisalign treatment is faster and more comfortable than braces

Compared to braces, Invisalign treatment is faster¹² and more comfortable¹³ for teens and adults. Many patients achieve their desired smile up to five months faster with Invisalign treatment versus braces treatment.¹² You may start seeing changes in just a few weeks.¹³

Not only is Invisalign treatment faster compared to braces for teens and adults, but the aligners are also more comfortable than braces.¹⁴ You may experience some discomfort when wearing them for the first time and when you switch out to a new set of aligners. But with braces, pain and discomfort can last for weeks after they’re put in¹⁵ and worsen after adjustments.¹⁶ The brackets and wires of braces can also irritate mouth tissue.¹⁶ This discomfort can hurt your quality of life while wearing braces.¹⁴

Invisalign aligners are customized for your comfort.

Some cases may require surgery

In some cases, your orthodontist may recommend a surgical procedure to fix your crooked teeth, and in certain cases, it can be more involved and include re-aligning your jaw.

Talk to your doctor

Talk to your dentist or orthodontist if you want to learn more about correcting your crooked teeth. They can review your situations and work with you to lay out a treatment plan that fits you and your lifestyle. Don’t have an orthodontist? Try Invisalign’s Doctor Locator – it can help you find a provider near you.